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First Reading: 2 Chronicles Chapter 11 and 122 Chronicles 11
11:1 Rehoboam's Reign in Judah
Now when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled from the house of Judah and
Benjamin one hundred and eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight
against Israel, that he might restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.
2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 3 "Speak
to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and
Benjamin, saying, 4'Thus says the LORD: "You shall not go up or fight against
your brethren! Let every man return to his house, for this thing is from Me."'"
Therefore they obeyed the words of the LORD, and turned back from attacking
Jeroboam.
5 Rehoboam Fortifies the Cities
So Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah. 6 And
he built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, 7 Beth Zur, Sochoh, Adullam, 8 Gath, Mareshah,
Ziph, 9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in
Judah and Benjamin, fortified cities. 11 And he fortified the strongholds, and
put captains in them, and stores of food, oil, and wine. 12 Also in every city
he put shields and spears, and made them very strong, having Judah and Benjamin
on his side.
13 Priests and Levites Move to Judah
(1 Kings 14:21-24)
And from all their territories the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel
took their stand with him. 14 For the Levites left their common-lands and their
possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had rejected
them from serving as priests to the LORD. 15 Then he appointed for himself priests
for the high places, for the demons, and the calf idols which he had made. 16
And after the Levites left, those from all the tribes of Israel, such as set
their heart to seek the LORD God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to
the LORD God of their fathers. 17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah,
and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years, because they walked
in the way of David and Solomon for three years.
18 The Family of Rehoboam
Then Rehoboam took for himself as wife Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliah the son of Jesse. 19 And she bore him children: Jeush, Shamariah, and Zaham. 20 After her he took Maachah the granddaughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. 21 Now Rehoboam loved Maachah the granddaughter of Absalom more than all his wives and his concubines; for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and begot twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. 22 And Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maachah as chief, to be leader among his brothers; for he intended to make him king. 23 He dealt wisely, and dispersed some of his sons throughout all the territories of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city; and he gave them provisions in abundance. He also sought many wives for them.
2 Chronicles 12
12:1 Egypt Attacks Judah
(1 Kings 14:25-28)
Now it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom and had strengthened
himself, that he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel along with him.
2 And it happened in the fifth year of King Rehoboam that Shishak king of Egypt
came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the LORD, 3
with twelve hundred chariots, sixty thousand horsemen, and people without number
who came with him out of Egypt — the Lubim and the Sukkiim and the Ethiopians.
4 And he took the fortified cities of Judah and came to Jerusalem.
5 Then Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah, who were
gathered together in Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, "Thus
says the LORD: 'You have forsaken Me, and therefore I also have left you in
the hand of Shishak.'"
6 So the leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said,"The
LORD is righteous."
7 Now when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came
to Shemaiah, saying, "They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not
destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance. My wrath shall not be
poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. 8 Nevertheless they will be
his servants, that they may distinguish My service from the service of the kingdoms
of the nations."
9 So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures
of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king's house; he took everything.
He also carried away the gold shields which Solomon had made. 10 Then King Rehoboam
made bronze shields in their place, and committed them to the hands of the captains
of the guard, who guarded the doorway of the king's house. 11 And whenever the
king entered the house of the LORD, the guard would go and bring them out; then
they would take them back into the guardroom. 12 When he humbled himself, the
wrath of the LORD turned from him, so as not to destroy him completely; and
things also went well in Judah.
13 The End of Rehoboam's Reign
(1 Kings 14:21,22,29-31)
Thus King Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem and reigned. Now Rehoboam
was forty-one years old when he became king; and he reigned seventeen years
in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel,
to put His name there. His mother's name was Naamah, an Ammonitess. 14 And he
did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the LORD.
15 The acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of
Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And there
were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days. 16 So Rehoboam rested
with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David. Then Abijah his son reigned
in his place.
Hebrews 2
2:1 Do Not Neglect Salvation
Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest
we drift away. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and
every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we
escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken
by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, 4 God also bearing
witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the
Holy Spirit, according to His own will?
5 The Son Made Lower than Angels
(cf. Ps 8)
For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels.
6 But one testified in a certain place, saying:
"What is man that You are mindful of him,Or the son of man that You take
care of him? 7 You have made him a little lower than the angels;You have crowned
him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands. 8 You have
put all things in subjection under his feet."
For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not
put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. 9 But we
see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of
death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste
death for everyone.
10 Bringing Many Sons to Glory
For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things,
in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect
through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified
are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12
saying:
"I will declare Your name to My brethren;In the midst of the assembly I
will sing praise to You."
13 And again:
"I will put My trust in Him."
And again:
"Here am I and the children whom God has given Me."
14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself
likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had
the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear
of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For indeed He does not
give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. 17 Therefore,
in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful
and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for
the sins of the people. 18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted,
He is able to aid those who are tempted.
BOOKS OF THE BIBLE
HEBREWS
Part 2 of 3
The book of Hebrews can be outlined as follows:
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